Maybe this was only a North Carolina thing, but back in the day many folks bought old beaters that the paint looked like it had been setting behind someone's barn for several years, and it would get a new set of chrome wheels, tires shined, and everything that could still be polished would be polished on it. Parts were replaced such as the hood and steering wheel as they were found (cheap). I had a 66 Plymouth Satellite that was primer grey, the right rear quarter looked like a train hit it, the right door was off of a 67 Belvedere, plenty of surface rust showing, but it had a new set of Ketstone mags, new Goodyear Eagle Sts, and all of the chrome was polished as close to like new as I could get it. That is what this build reminds me of. Nice work!